


you've set a fire off in my eyes (and i think i've set one in yours)

by finnhoe



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Self Harm, insecure!louis, trigger warning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-27
Updated: 2014-04-27
Packaged: 2018-01-20 23:37:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1529975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/finnhoe/pseuds/finnhoe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>louis gets insecure after reading hate on twitter before and after the concert in bogota. harry just needs him to know he loves him. so he does. he may or may not serenade louis with strong. (based off this prompt: "harry probably sings "strong" to louis when he feels not loved & it makes him cry & hug harry endlessly and tell him he loves him")</p>
            </blockquote>





	you've set a fire off in my eyes (and i think i've set one in yours)

**Author's Note:**

> there is light self harm in this!! so please please do not read if you are triggered by it.

“Baby?? Louis are you ok? Please let me in,” Harry pleaded, constantly knocking on the hotel bathroom door that Louis locked himself in twenty minutes ago. They had just finished performing the opening show in Bogota, and Harry knew something was off the moment they stepped off the stage. Louis had shared the group hug and contributed bits to the conversations to the ride to the hotel, but as soon as they arrived, Louis ran to the bathroom.  
Louis sat there, hunched in the corner, chest to his knees. There were tears tracked down his cheeks from the countess insults about his appearance and voice he had been reading on his phone. He decided to let Harry in, fuck it. Harry’s seen him like this before.  
He reached up and unlocked the door. Harry immediately rushed in, taking in the sight of his boy. Louis looked so broken, so tiny, hunched into himself. There was a razorblade on the floor and fresh marks on Louis’ wrist. He thought Louis had been getting better. “Lou,” Harry whispered, his own voice breaking as he dropped to his knees in front of Louis. He quickly sat down and pulled the frail, still sobbing boy into his lap and Louis immediately curled into himself again, face burying into Harry’s chest, his hands grasping his boyfriend’s shirt. Harry held onto Louis’ waist tightly, his other hand brushing through the smaller boy’s fringe.  
“Shhh, its ok, I’m here, I love you,” Harry cooed. He reached for Louis’ phone that was still on the floor, twitter comment still open.  
“@prettyboy_tyler:  
‘I don’t even listen to one direction, but it looks like that guy Louis is a faggot that needs to cut his hair and take vocal lessons lol’”  
Harry squinted his eyes shut, locking Louis’ phone and desperately trying to control the urge to chuck it at the wall. He knew from the fact that Louis’ name was bolded that Louis searched for the tweet. Controlling his anger at whomever tweeted that, he decided to place the phone gently on the floor with shaking hands.  
“Louis, why do you search for these things? They aren’t true at all, love. And even if they were, why does it matter?” Harrys softly consoled into Louis’ hair. He smelled like tea and mints and a bit of Harry’s cologne. God, Harry loves him.  
Louis listened to the deep rumble in Harry’s chest from his voice before he spit out, “Because Harry, you are just so fucking perfect and I’m not and I know I’m not and I need to make sure everyone else knows it, too,” Louis begun to cry again from his place on Harry’s chest.  
And that just broke Harry’s heart. Louis’ his world, and he can’t imagine anybody thinking he wasn’t worthy of that. Especially if Louis thought that he isn’t even near worthy. Harry started to cry, the tears silently rolling down his cheeks, one softly landing in Louis’ hair. And, well, he didn’t really know what so say that would console Louis, he’s tried everything when this has happened before. So Harry decided to sing instead, silently hoping it would help prove his point that he loves Louis so fucking much.  
“My hands, your hands, tied up like two ships,” Harry roughly sang, his hand reaching around Louis’ back to intertwine their hands, anchor and rope tattoo lining up.  
“Drifting, weightless, waves try to break it. I’d do anything to save it. Why is it so hard to say it?” Harry continued, his voice raspy and low in the otherwise silent bathroom. Louis shuddered, grasping at Harry’s shirt even tighter.  
“My heart, your heart, sit tight like bookends. Pages between us, written with no end. So many words we’re not saying. Don’t wanna wait ‘til it’s gone,” Harry took a deep breath, “You make me strong.”  
“Harry,” Louis whispered brokenly.  
“I’m sorry if I say I need you. But I don’t care, I’m not scared of love. ‘Cause when I’m not with you I’m weaker. Is that so wrong? Is it so wrong? That you make me strong,” Harry continued, voice rumbling through Louis’ chest.  
This time Louis chimed in, to Harry’s surprise, “Think of how much love that’s been wasted, people always try to escape it. Move on to stop their hearts breakin’. But there’s nothin’ I’m running from,” Their broken voices harmonized perfectly throughout the bathroom.  
“You make me strong,” Louis finished, voice shaking. Harry was too wrecked from seeing Louis like this to complete the song. They were silent for a minute, willing their eyes to stop dripping tears.  
“Louis, darling, look at me, please,” Harry almost cried, and Louis complied. His blue eyes were magnified with the tears, his face wet and eyes red. Harry assumed he looked the same way.  
“I love you. I love you so much it hurts. I love you so much it makes my heart feel like it will explode,” Harry stopped for a second to gently cup Louis’ face and thumb away his tears, “My love for you could fill up the most desolate places, and then some. You consume me, Louis. I am absolutely gone for you and would run around the world at the snap of your fingers. And the thing is, I love that you take over me. Because it makes me feel amazing. You make me feel so amazing. And these?” Harry whispered, thumbing over Louis’ scars, old and fresh, Louis’ gaze following Harry’s on them, “are a part of you. And that’s ok, because I am also a part of you. And my love for you overrules the bad and scary things. Louis William Tomlinson, I love you. And I will never get tired of saying that because I would go to the ends of the earth to see you smile.” Harry finishes, Louis’ eyes flicking from his lips to eyes.  
“What did I do to deserve you, Harry Styles?” Louis said softly, not breaking eye contact. And honestly, how did he ever deserve Harry? Harry’s so caring and kind and loving and so so kind, did Louis mention that?  
“Probably some ungodly thing in your past life,” Harry joked, letting out a soft smile.  
Louis decided he really wanted to kiss Harry. So he did. He surged up, capturing their lips together with his hand carding through Harry’s curls, the other going to lace their fingers together. Harry’s lips were so soft, like always, and Louis couldn’t get enough. Louis can’t ever get enough. And Harry is so gentle, he’s always gentle, with the way his hand automatically went to brush at Louis’ cheekbone, the other still tangled with Louis’.  
Louis pulled back and murmured, “Shower?”  
“Shower,” Harry nodded, pulling Louis up with him, their knees slightly wobbly after sitting down for so long. He walked into the bigger part of the bathroom and turned the water on, waiting for it to get hot. Before he began to undress, he turned around and saw Louis leaning against the counter, head bowed and hand cradling his cut up arm. Harry pulled a towel down from the rack above the toilet and wet it with lukewarm water, feeling Louis’ eyes trace his movements. He then walked to Louis, taking his wounded arm and gently paced the towel on the three cuts that sat there in a uniform line. Louis flinched a bit, but looked up at Harry and just watched. Harry’s brows were pulled together in concentration, as he was trying to clean the cuts without hurting Louis more. And holy shit, Louis doesn’t think he’ll ever get over how much Harry cares and loves, and is able to look past the fact that Louis is a shitty failure. Louis loves him so much he wants to shout it across the rooftops and to the world. So he does just that. Kind of.  
“I love you, you know? A whole lot,” Louis breathed, causing Harry to look up at Louis, their eyes meeting. And Harry just wanted to pick Louis up then and there and carry him to a safe and warm place where nothing can hurt him. But he just settles for a lingering kiss to Louis’ forehead and whispers, “I have some idea,” against his skin.  
And that’s all Louis needs. Harry is all Louis needs.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading, you're lovely!! if you want me to write more on a certain prompt, please message me on my tumblr: caitykt.tumblr.com


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